Today we prepared for the rice nurseries. Last week, plastic trays were lined with something like paper toweling and filled with sifted red mountain soil. The filled trays are 
stacked in our uncle's barn, waiting to be seeded and placed in the nursery.
The nurseries are set up on the edge of the fields. Some farmers use a section of a wheat filled field but we share a field with several farmers and just section off our area with corrugated plastic trim that holds the water in our area. Taka o-jichan, my elderly uncle who is the older brother of my mother-in-law, had already plowed the section. The soil is plowed a couple of times over two weeks, deeply and thoroughly to eliminate any weeds or lumps. Then the field is flooded. The canals have been full of fresh cool river water since the early part of May, allowing farmers to siphon off enough to flood the nursery beds.
Today, the sticky muddy field is smoothed with a board. Every farmer seems to have a different system. Our family usually uses a t-shaped scraper which is dragged over the muddy surface to smooth it into a glossy sheen. Taka ojichan uses a heavier contraption that requires two people to drag it. First, the two rows are measured with rope to make sure we go in a straight line and that it is evenly spaced. After arguing with one another as to how to measure two straight lines, we finally were able to smooth the mud. Then, plastic sheeting with holes in it is laid between the straight lines and smoothed down by hand, so eliminate air bubbles and adhere it to the muddy surface. A drainage ditch is scooped out at either end to allow the water to flow around. The plastic sheet is secured with globs of mud.
Next week, we will lay the trays on this prepared surface so the rice seedlings can grow.
When we were finished, we rinsed off with cool irrigation canal water, washed the tools and ropes in the canal and went off to do other chores. The valley is bustling with activity as farmers prepare to harvest the wheat and plant the rice. Life is good in the countryside.
stacked in our uncle's barn, waiting to be seeded and placed in the nursery.The nurseries are set up on the edge of the fields. Some farmers use a section of a wheat filled field but we share a field with several farmers and just section off our area with corrugated plastic trim that holds the water in our area. Taka o-jichan, my elderly uncle who is the older brother of my mother-in-law, had already plowed the section. The soil is plowed a couple of times over two weeks, deeply and thoroughly to eliminate any weeds or lumps. Then the field is flooded. The canals have been full of fresh cool river water since the early part of May, allowing farmers to siphon off enough to flood the nursery beds.
Today, the sticky muddy field is smoothed with a board. Every farmer seems to have a different system. Our family usually uses a t-shaped scraper which is dragged over the muddy surface to smooth it into a glossy sheen. Taka ojichan uses a heavier contraption that requires two people to drag it. First, the two rows are measured with rope to make sure we go in a straight line and that it is evenly spaced. After arguing with one another as to how to measure two straight lines, we finally were able to smooth the mud. Then, plastic sheeting with holes in it is laid between the straight lines and smoothed down by hand, so eliminate air bubbles and adhere it to the muddy surface. A drainage ditch is scooped out at either end to allow the water to flow around. The plastic sheet is secured with globs of mud.Next week, we will lay the trays on this prepared surface so the rice seedlings can grow.
When we were finished, we rinsed off with cool irrigation canal water, washed the tools and ropes in the canal and went off to do other chores. The valley is bustling with activity as farmers prepare to harvest the wheat and plant the rice. Life is good in the countryside.
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